Mistakes in past, Mike Ricci's intentions renewed for Titan FC 27

Fighting for the first time since his release from the UFC, it would be easy for outside observers to see Mike Ricci as using Jorge Gurgel as a stepping stone back to the biggest show.

But Ricci said that would be a mistake on his part, not to mention anyone else thinking that way.

Ricci (8-4) meets Gurgel (14-9) in the main event of Titan FC 27, which will be the promotion’s debut on CBS Sports Network. The main card airs at 11:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. PT) on the cable network following two prelims that stream on cbssportsnetwork.com at 10:30 p.m. ET.

Gurgel will have a leg up on Ricci in the experience department, with nearly twice as many fights. Gurgel spent more than half of his career in the UFC and Strikeforce. But after an 11-2 start to his career, it’s been rough sledding for him lately with just three wins in his past 10 fights.

But Ricci, who was cut from the UFC after a 1-2 run with the promotion, isn’t looking past Gurgel hoping he’s a quick return to the win column on a path back to the UFC.

“I take everybody seriously,” Ricci told MMAjunkie Radio. “I made mistakes in the past, and learned the hard way about taking guys lightly. I don’t take Jorge lightly at all. One thing my dad always taught me is, you can never play with experience. I don’t expect him to lay down and take a beating. If I want to give him one, I’m going to have to go out there and do it.”

Ricci, a Canadian and longtime member of Montreal’s Tristar Gym, was favored to win Season 16 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” But Colton Smith upset him. After a win over Colin Fletcher, Ricci dropped a split call to Myles Jury and was released this past fall.

Ricci said his past mistakes can be chalked up to learning experiences.

“I guess just immaturity and lack of experience (led to them),” he said. “I wasn’t handed a manual, so I learned a lot of things the hard way. It just comes with the territory. Some things I caught on my own, and some lessons it’s hard not to learn from them. Others come from talking to coaches and training partners.”

Gurgel, with that aforementioned 3-7 stretch and four losses in his past five, has plenty of reasons to want to get back on track. He hasn’t won a fight in nearly three years, a submission won over Billy Vaughan for Strikeforce – a fight that Vaughan took on five days’ notice.

But Ricci said if he has any ideas about getting back on track against him, he might want to think again. And that holds especially true if Gurgel tries to turn it into a dogfight against Ricci, whose reputation tends more toward game planning and cerebral fighting.

“If he does that, it’ll be an early night for him,” Ricci said. “If he wants to go out there and swing and act crazy, I’ve sat people down before. It’s impossible to predict something like that. It’s all about the intention you bring to the fight. The intention I bring is to put Jorge away. If I have to beat him up for 15 minutes, i’ll beat him up for 15 minutes. The (cage) is crazy, and anything can happen in there.

“When I’m focused and ready to fight, I vocalize it. Nothing’s going to sway that in my mind. If Jorge wants to change that, he can come and try.”

MMAjunkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, MMAjunkie lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Brian “Goze” Garcia. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.